I have a simple diapragm comressor, and would like to have some control over the pressure.
How can it be done? (And please, if you know of anything that can be bought in Home Depot or anything, give me the name as well… I’m not too familiar with these things yet.)
Also, how can you construct a water trap? (I’ve been using water-based acryls so far, but I need to do some NMF soon.)
Thank you.
Hi,
You can buy a pressure regulator with water trap and simply mount between compressor and hose. The problem you will face is that probably your compressor does not have auto switch off feature. Therfore, regulator will simply block your compressor and you will have to manualy switch off the compressor after seconds of running and swiych on when pressure will drop.
There is a possibility to buy and mount auto switch off but in my opinion it would be better and cheaper to buy a complete solution (new comp).
As an improvement you may buy a water trap and mount between comp and hose which will obvoiusly trap water and reduce pulsations (it will serve as a tiny air tank). It seems to me as the cheapest and the easiest solution.
Macio
Spongya, the Paasche Ra75 combined moisture trap and regulator is worth a look. I bought one last year from Hobbylinc.com, but Dixieart do them as well. They’re only about $28, but will require an adaptor to mount them on your comp., but that should only be a few dollars.
As you are using a diaphragm comp. you might want to consider some form of air storage tank to help minimise pulsing.
Karl
Thank you guys for the answers.
The comp does have an auto switch; I was not sure if that makes the tank and the regulator an option… One more question: wht kind of tank can I buy for it?
(You know I’m still new in the US -student- and I’m not really sure what and where to buy.)
Spongya, you’re a step ahead of both Macio and me, as we’re both in Europe, but you might want to try the following online:
or try somewhre like Home depot for a small air tank, not sure about costs, especially as you’re a student, but worth a look.
The DIY stores sell regulators, but the increments of pressure displayed on the gauges are too great for effective airbrushing.
Best of luck.
Karl
Spongya - see if there is a Hobby Lobby near you. They sell replacement gauges for the regulators you can get at Home Depot and Lowes and Wal Mart. They cost about 20 dollars but are incremented in 1psi fractions… At any of the above mentioned DIY stores you can get a regulator for about $19 US and a water trap filter for about 11 dollars US.
I used my regulator for awhile with the larger incremented gauge and got good results (a lot better than without it) so if money is an issue being a student and all, you can get the regulator then get the gauge later. Once I got the hobby type gauge it was easier to find a pressure I liked and my results improved.
Good luck to you!
Hi,
I agree with KJ200 
I use Iwata Power Lite and it does not have storage tank and it is 100% pulstaion free. I would suggest to install regulator with water trap (i.e. connect them with long hose which has some air capacity) and try to paint. It should be ok for modeling purposes. If not you may add an air tank at any time later.
Hope this helps
Macio
If you still wish to add a tank, check at your local auto supply, Sears or Wal-mart for an airbottle in the 10 to 15 gallon range (should be able to find one for under 20 bucks). They have an inlet valve (looks like the air valve on a car tire) - remove that and hook your outlet line from your compressor to it (you’ll probably need some 1/4" NPT fittings). The outlet side is usually made up of a T fitting with a pressure guage on one opening, the outlet line on the second and the third is into the tank. Remove the outlet line and install your regulator in place of the line (on the input side of the regulator - the airbrush line attaches to the outlet side). Turn on the aircompressor, let the airpressure in the tank build up, set your brush pressure and paint.
Thank you for the answers! I really appreciate your help.
One more quesrion, totally unrelated to the compressor (I just don’t want to make another thread for every problem I have…) I wasn’t patient enought and sprayed too much and didn’t wait enough between layers on a plane. The paint made a very cool effect: it started to break into ‘islands’ on the surface. (It would look great if the undercoat would be a different colour, and it would be on my bike and not on a kit I’ve been working on for a while.)
Anyway, what do you suggest I do? I can’t strip te paint with paint remover, because it would damage the cockpit and wheel-wells. Sanding the paint off would cause damage to surface detail…
Should I spray Gunze Surfacer on it and hope that it would even out the differences on the surface?
I don’t want to scrap the model; I really worked a lot on it to lose it in such a stupid way.
Ha!
I had the same problem once (too thick layer and it has broken to “islands”). I am afrid that painting all over them will not help. Paint usually do not cover mistakes but make more visible. Surface primer do the same and hide minor problems only.
What kind of paint have you used? If acrylics - you may try to remove with softh cloth soaken in the thinner.
Other option is to try “flood” brakes between island with low thinned clear and sand after that. Anyways, try on the not very visible place.
The last resort is to put that model on the shelf with a label: “Will not ever be in a hurry painting my models” And have fun of it!
Macio
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00916025000&bidsite=CRAFT
Again; thank you all for your help. I was cruising in Sears and found this Craftsman thing. Would that work?
Thx.
heh dont try it on your bike; I gaurentee it wont happen when you want it to. stuff just always works like that I find. infact; when attempting to get the islands; I bet you get the most flawless paint youve ever seen. hmmmmmm
goes to create islands on his model